1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team

Last updated

1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team
Head coach Chuck Daly
1992 Summer Olympics Gold medal.svg
Scoring leader Flag of the United States.svg Charles Barkley [1]
18.0
Rebounding leader Flag of the United States.svg Karl Malone 5.3
Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Ewing
5.3
Assists leader Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Pippen
5.9
←  1988
1996  →

The 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, nicknamed the "Dream Team", was the first American Olympic team to feature active professional players from the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team has often been described as the greatest sports team ever assembled. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

At the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, the team defeated its opponents by an average of 44 points en route to the gold medal against Croatia. [5] [6]

The team was collectively inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2009, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010, and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017. The Naismith Hall of Fame calls the team "the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet". [7] In addition to the team induction, 11 players and three coaches have also been inducted individually into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Forming the team

Background

Prior to the 1992 Olympics, FIBA rules specifically prevented NBA players from participating in Olympic tournaments, and only amateurs were eligible for the U.S. Olympic teams, which were composed of collegiate and, at times (especially in the 1950s), AAU players. Other countries used their best players from their domestic professional leagues. [8] In the 1988 Summer Olympics, the Americans lost to the USSR and settled for bronze, their worst finish in the history of the tournament. [9]

On 7 April 1989, at a special congress in Munich following the 1988–89 FIBA European Champions Cup finals, FIBA delegates voted, by a margin of 56 to 13, to allow professional basketball players to participate in its international events, including the World Cup and the Olympics. The decision led to professional players, particularly those from the United States' National Basketball Association, dominating the sport at the highest levels of international competition. The change also warded off competition from the Goodwill Games, the biggest rival of the Olympics at the time, which was seeking to bring professional players into its basketball events. [10] [11] [12] The Amateur Basketball Association of the United States of America (ABAUSA, renamed USA Basketball after the vote) voted against it due to "colleges and high schools that make up most of [ABAUSA's] constituency [opposing] it." The Soviet proposal to limit the national teams to only two NBA players for the first few years was then unanimously rejected. [13] [14]

Selections

Michael Jordan was offered a co-captainship but he deferred to Bird and Johnson Cazzaro Jordan.jpg
Michael Jordan was offered a co-captainship but he deferred to Bird and Johnson

USA Basketball asked the NBA to supply players for its 1992 roster; [15] the league was initially unenthusiastic about this idea. [8] In early 1991, Sports Illustrated labeled the forthcoming American roster as the "Dream Team" on the cover of its February 18 issue. [16] [15]

The first ten players for the team were selected on September 21, 1991: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls, John Stockton and Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz, Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers, Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks, Chris Mullin of the Golden State Warriors, David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs, and Charles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76ers. [17] On May 12, 1992, Clyde Drexler of the Portland Trail Blazers was chosen over Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons for the final professional roster spot. [8] As an acknowledgment to the previous amateur system, the U.S. basketball committee decided to include one collegiate player on the team: [18] [19] Christian Laettner of Duke University was added on May 12, 1992, chosen over Louisiana State University's Shaquille O'Neal. [20]

Most of the players on the team were at or near the peaks of their NBA careers. [21] Bird had back trouble but was selected due to the team's historic nature. Robinson had played with the 1988 Olympic team and was eager to earn a gold medal at Barcelona. [22]

Johnson had retired from the Lakers in November 1991 after testing positive for HIV. His teammates expected Johnson to die from the disease, and he later described his selection for the Olympics as "almost like a life saver", evidence that he could still overcome the illness and live a productive life. [16] The Australian Olympic delegation prominently threatened to boycott the games in protest of Johnson's presence, fearing that he might infect other athletes. Their threats backfired, however, as Johnson received even more public support. [23] Ewing, Jordan, and Mullin had won gold at the 1984 games; Malone had not made the team and saw his non-selection in 1984 as a challenge. [8]

Jordan declined head coach Chuck Daly's suggestion that Jordan serve as the public face of the team, and Bird and Johnson were selected as co-captains. [16] Over the previous 13 NBA seasons leading up to the 1992 Olympics, these three superstars combined had won 10 NBA championships and received seven NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards and nine regular-season MVP awards.

Isiah Thomas left off team

There was speculation that Isiah Thomas was not part of the team because Jordan would participate only if Thomas was not on the roster. At the time, it was widely believed that Jordan did not like Thomas because he was seen as the "ring leader" of the Detroit Pistons of the late 1980s and early 1990s; nicknamed the "Bad Boys", the team employed overtly physical tactics against Jordan in the NBA Playoffs. In his 2012 book Dream Team, author Jack McCallum quotes Jordan as saying to Team USA selection committee member Rod Thorn, "Rod, I don't want to play if Isiah Thomas is on the team". [24] In 2020, Thorn and Jordan denied directly mentioning Thomas's name in discussions. [25] [26] According to Jordan in the documentary series The Last Dance , he asked Thorn, "Who’s all playing?" [25] to which Thorn responded, "The guy you're thinking about is not going to be playing." [25]

After the selection of the first ten members of the team, Johnson released an official statement in support of Thomas, but years later it was discovered that his support was less than enthusiastic. In the book When the Game Was Ours, Johnson said, "Isiah killed his own chances when it came to the Olympics. Nobody on that team wanted to play with him." [27]

Laettner selection over O'Neal

Christian Laettner (pictured in 2014) was chosen to represent college athletics. Christian Laettner at Yahoo event.jpg
Christian Laettner (pictured in 2014) was chosen to represent college athletics.

The selection committee considered several college players including Harold Miner, Jimmy Jackson, and Alonzo Mourning in addition to Shaquille O'Neal and Christian Laettner. [28] O'Neal was the number-one pick in the 1992 NBA draft, but Laettner's Duke Blue Devils teams won consecutive National Championships in 1991 and 1992. Coached by Mike Krzyzewski, who also was a first-time assistant coach for the Olympic program, Laettner was the Naismith College Player of the Year and scored the game-winning basket as time expired in the 1992 NCAA Eastern Regional final. Although O'Neal was a two-time Consensus NCAA First Team All-American in 1991 and 1992, his team lost in the second round of the 1992 NCAA men's tournament. Laettner's college success and coach's endorsement ultimately secured his position on the team. [29]

Success on the court

Early scrimmages

To help the team prepare for the Olympics, a squad of the best NCAA college players was formed to scrimmage them. USA Basketball selected players whose style of play, it hoped, would resemble that of the Europeans the Dream Team would face. Members included the penetrating guard Bobby Hurley, all-around players Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway, outside shooter Allan Houston, and the tough Chris Webber and Eric Montross. [16] Hill and Hardaway would play for the 1996 national team, and Houston on the 2000 team. [30] [31]

In late June, the Dream Team first met together in La Jolla, California, astounding and intimidating the collegians who watched them practice. However, on June 24, the Dream Team lost to the NCAA team, 62–54, after underestimating the opposition. [8] Daly intentionally limited Jordan's playing time and made non-optimal substitutions; assistant coach Mike Krzyzewski later said that the head coach "threw the game" to teach the NBA players that they could be beaten. The teams played again the following day, with the Olympians winning decisively in the rematch. [32] Some of the college players visited Jordan's hotel room afterward and asked their hero for his personal items as souvenirs. [8]

Tournament of the Americas

The Dream Team made its international debut on June 28 at the Tournament of the Americas, an Olympic qualifying event in Portland, Oregon. [8] The team defeated Cuba 136–57, prompting Cuban coach Miguel Calderón Gómez to say, "You can't cover the sun with your finger." [33] Marv Albert, who announced the game, recalled that "it was as if [the Americans] were playing a high school team, or grade school team. They were so overwhelming ... a blowout after blowout." [16] The Cubans were the first of many opponents who were more interested in taking photos with the Americans than playing them. [8] The next five games were also easy victories for Team USA, which ended the tournament on July 5 with a 127–80 victory over Venezuela in the championship game to win the tournament and be one of four Americas squads to qualify for the Olympics. [34]

Olympics

David Robinson taking a free throw Dream Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics.JPEG
David Robinson taking a free throw

The team trained for the Olympics in Monaco for six days, practicing two hours a day and playing exhibition games against other national teams. During their time away from the court, the squad spent time enjoying the nude beaches, Monte Carlo's casinos, [21] and dining with royalty. [8] There was no curfew; as Daly stated, "I'm not putting in a curfew because I'd have to adhere to it, and Jimmy'z [a noted Monte Carlo nightclub] doesn't open until midnight." [21]

For one scrimmage, the group divided into two teams: Blue (led by Johnson, with Barkley, Robinson, Mullin, and Laettner) and White (led by Jordan, with Malone, Ewing, Pippen, and Bird). Drexler and Stockton did not play because of injuries. [lower-alpha 1] [21] [36] Daly told the teams to play "All you got now. All you got." White won, 40 to 36, in what Jordan recalled as "the best game I was ever in" and Sports Illustrated later called "the Greatest Game Nobody Ever Saw". [21]

Because of the team's unique celebrity, the Dream Team did not stay in the Olympic Village due to security concerns. [37] The Olympic Village had only four guards at the gate when the team arrived to pick up their credentials; one of the guards, upon seeing the Dream Team, grabbed his camera and his child while the team members were mobbed by other Olympic athletes. Daly also stated that the beds in the Village were a problem, as two of his athletes were over seven feet tall and he considered comfort a priority to keep the team rested. [38]

As a result, the team stayed at Barcelona's Hotel Ambassador, where USA Basketball occupied 80 of the hotel's 98 rooms. [37] Fans were not allowed to enter the lobby, but did gather outside the hotel, hoping to see their favorite players. "It was like Elvis and the Beatles put together," Daly said. [39] Opposing basketball players and athletes from other sports often asked to have photographs taken with the players. [40] [21]

In an interview years later, Charles Barkley recounted that "we got death threats". [41] Despite that assertion, Barkley walked around the city alone. When asked where his bodyguards were, he held up his fists and answered, "This is my security." [8]

Charles Barkley proved controversial due to his aggressive gameplay and trash talking. He ended up being the highest-scoring member of the team. Barkley Lipofsky.jpg
Charles Barkley proved controversial due to his aggressive gameplay and trash talking. He ended up being the highest-scoring member of the team.

Jordan was the only player who studied the opposition, carefully watching game tapes. [8] He and the other Americans enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each other in a casual setting, often playing cards all night and, for Jordan, playing several rounds of golf daily with little rest. [16]

Opposing teams were nonetheless overwhelmed by the talent of the American roster, losing by an average of 43.8 points per game. This was the second largest Olympic Games point differential, surpassed only by the 53.5 point per game margin achieved by the 1956 US Men's Basketball Team. The Dream Team was the first to score more than 100 points in every game. Its 117.3 average was over 15 points more than the 1960 US team. [42] Johnson later recalled, "I look to my right, there's Michael Jordan ... I look to my left, there's Charles Barkley or Larry Bird ... I didn't know who to throw the ball to!" [16] [4]

In a press conference before the team's first Olympic game against Angola, Barkley famously quipped "I don't know anything about Angola. But Angola's in trouble." [43] Herlander Coimbra of Angola recalled that "those guys were on another level—a galaxy far, far away". [8] During the game, Barkley elbowed Coimbra in the chest and was unapologetic after the game, claiming he was hit first. Barkley was called for an intentional foul on the play. Coimbra's resulting free throw was the only point scored by Angola during a 46–1 run by the US. [44]

Although this incident had no bearing on the final result (a 116–48 USA win), at the time there was a concern about the image of America to the rest of the world. After the game, Jordan said, "There just wasn't any place for it. We were dominating the game. It created mixed feelings, it caused a mixed reaction about the U.S. There's already some negative feelings about us." Even though this was the only incident of the game, it changed the narrative; instead of the Americans being viewed as a highly skilled team beating an underdog, some viewed them as bullies. [45] [46]

Daly started Jordan in every game, and Johnson started in five of the six games he played, missing two games because of knee problems. [47] Pippen, Bird, Mullin, Robinson, Ewing, Malone, and Barkley rotated in the other starting spots. [8] Barkley was the Dream Team's leading scorer during the Olympics, averaging 18.0 points per game, [48] although the player selection committee had been unsure of his inclusion, worried that he would not represent the United States well. [8]

The closest of the eight matches was Team USA's 117–85 victory over Croatia in the gold medal game. Croatia, participating as an independent nation in the Olympics for the first time since its separation from the former Yugoslavia, briefly led the Dream Team by a score of 25–23 in the first half. [42] [49] By the end of the game, Team USA had pulled away and Stockton agreed to a Croatian player's plea not to shoot. [50] Pippen and Jordan aggressively sought the opportunity to guard Toni Kukoč of Croatia. He had just signed a contract with the Bulls for more money than Pippen, who believed that the team's negotiation with the Croatian had delayed his own contract. Tired of hearing about Kukoč's talent, Pippen and Jordan agreed to, as Jordan later said, "not ... let this guy do anything against us." McCallum described the two Bulls as "rabid dogs" against Kukoč. [8] [16] Croatia had lost to the Dream Team 103–70 in their first game. The only team besides Croatia to hold the margin under 40 points was Puerto Rico, which lost 115–77 in the quarterfinals.

Legacy

Mike Krzyzewski returned to coach the United States men's basketball several times after the 1992 Olympics. Krzyzewski at Pentagon cropped.JPG
Mike Krzyzewski returned to coach the United States men's basketball several times after the 1992 Olympics.

Sports Illustrated later stated that the Dream Team was "arguably the most dominant squad ever assembled in any sport" and compared it to "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, the Allman Brothers at the Fillmore East, Santana at Woodstock." [21] In 2009, the team was elected to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame. The following year, the team was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. [51] It was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017. [52]

Barkley later said, "I don't think there's anything better to representing your country. I don't think anything in my life can come close to that." Bird called the medal ceremony and the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" "the ultimate experience." Johnson said, "The 92 Dream Team was the greatest moment of my life in terms of basketball, bar none." Jordan said that the biggest benefit for him from the Olympics was that he learned more about his teammates' weaknesses. His Chicago Bulls teams later defeated Barkley, Malone, and Stockton's teams in three NBA finals. [16] As of 2014, 11 of the 12 players on the roster (all except Laettner) [53] and three of the four coaches (all except Carlesimo) have been elected to the Hall of Fame as individuals.

Global interest in basketball soared due to the Dream Team. [16] International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch stated that "the most important aspect of the [Barcelona] Games has been the resounding success of the basketball tournament, as we've witnessed the best basketball in the world." [50] Daly said of the opposing teams "They'll go home and for the rest of their lives be able to tell their kids, 'I played against Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.' And the more they play against our best players, the more confident they're going to get". [54] Subsequently, the number of international players in the NBA rose. On opening day of the 1991–92 season, NBA rosters included 23 international players from 18 countries. At the start of the 2011–12 season, there were 74 players from 35 countries. [55] [56]

Roster

USA Basketball Men's National Team roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameAgeHeightWeightFrom
PF 4 Laettner, Christian 226 ft 11 in (2.11 m)235 lb (107 kg) Duke Blue Devils
C 5 Robinson, David 267 ft 1 in (2.16 m)235 lb (107 kg) San Antonio Spurs
C 6 Ewing, Patrick 297 ft 0 in (2.13 m)240 lb (110 kg) New York Knicks
SF 7 Bird, Larry 356 ft 9 in (2.06 m)220 lb (100 kg) Boston Celtics
SF 8 Pippen, Scottie 266 ft 8 in (2.03 m)210 lb (95 kg) Chicago Bulls
SG 9 Jordan, Michael 296 ft 6 in (1.98 m)198 lb (90 kg) Chicago Bulls
SG 10 Drexler, Clyde 306 ft 7 in (2.01 m)222 lb (101 kg) Portland Trail Blazers
PF 11 Malone, Karl 286 ft 9 in (2.06 m)256 lb (116 kg) Utah Jazz
PG 12 Stockton, John 306 ft 1 in (1.85 m)175 lb (79 kg) Utah Jazz
SF 13 Mullin, Chris 286 ft 7 in (2.01 m)215 lb (98 kg) Golden State Warriors
PF 14 Barkley, Charles 296 ft 6 in (1.98 m)250 lb (110 kg) Phoenix Suns
PG 15 Johnson, Magic 326 ft 9 in (2.06 m)220 lb (100 kg) Los Angeles Lakers [lower-roman 1]

Head coach

Assistant coach(es)

Legend:

  • From – describes teams affiliated
    during the Olympics
  1. ↑ By the time the roster was announced, Johnson had already retired from professional basketball.

Tournament of the Americas results

The team was undefeated, with their closest margin of victory being 38 points over Puerto Rico. [57]

Tournament of the Americas results
GameDateUSA pointsOpponent
points		OpponentPoint
differential
1June 28, 199213657Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 79
2June 29, 199210561Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 44
3June 30, 199211252Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 60
4July 1, 199212887Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 41
5July 3, 199211981Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico 38
6July 5, 199212780Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela
(gold medal game)		47

Tournament statistics

Player tournament statistics
PlayerGPFGMFGAFG%3PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%REB/AVGPTS/AVGASTBLKSTL
Charles Barkley 63458.58625.4002833.84840/6.798/16.310112
Larry Bird 2811.72734.75000.0007/3.519/9.5203
Clyde Drexler 52739.692511.4551012.83313/2.669/13.83325
Patrick Ewing 52743.62800.00058.62526/5.259/11.82106
Magic Johnson 61934.55939.3331720.85025/4.258/9.75407
Michael Jordan 62953.547923.391912.75023/3.876/12.730511
Christian Laettner 61831.58137.42958.62516/2.744/7.3203
Karl Malone 63353.62300.0002339.59035/5.889/14.8945
Chris Mullin 63149.6331530.500914.64318/3.086/14.31419
Scottie Pippen 62030.66726.33369.66726/4.348/8.03728
David Robinson 63242.76200.000713.53832/5.371/11.85115
John Stockton 256.83301.00000.0001/0.510/5.01201

Olympics results

The team was again undefeated, with their closest outing being the 32-point victory over Croatia for the gold medal. [6]

July 26, 1992 (1992-07-26)
Group A, Game 1
 Angola  Flag of Angola.svg48–116Flag of the United States.svg  United States Barcelona, Spain
16:30 (CEST)Scoring by half: 16–64, 32–52
Pts: Macedo, 10
Rebs: Conceição, 7
Asts: Conceição, 2		 Boxscore Pts: Barkley, 24
Rebs: Barkley, 6
Asts: Johnson, 10		Arena: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona

Note: Point differential: 68, tournament largest

July 27, 1992 (1992-07-27)
Group A, Game 2
 Croatia  Flag of Croatia.svg70–103Flag of the United States.svg  United States Barcelona, Spain
20:30 (CEST)Scoring by half: 37–54, 33–49
Pts: Petrović, 19
Rebs: Rađa, 8
Asts: Kukoč, 5		 Boxscore Pts: Jordan, 21
Rebs: Malone, 5
Asts: Pippen, 9		Arena: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona

Note: Point differential: 33

July 29, 1992 (1992-07-29)
Group A, Game 3
 United States  Flag of the United States.svg111–68Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Barcelona, Spain
20:30 (CEST)Scoring by half: 58–23, 53–45
Pts: Bird, 19
Rebs: Malone, 5
Asts: Jordan, 12		 Boxscore Pts: Schrempf, 15
Rebs: Schrempf, 8
Asts: Rödl, 2		Arena: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona

Note: Point differential: 43

July 31, 1992 (1992-07-31)
Group A, Game 4
 United States  Flag of the United States.svg127–83Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Barcelona, Spain
22:30 (CEST)Scoring by half: 60–41, 67–42
Pts: Barkley, 30
Rebs: Ewing, 9
Asts: Drexler, 10		 Boxscore Pts: Schmidt, 24
Rebs: dos Santos, 9
Asts: Ponikwar de Souza, 7		Arena: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona

Note: Point differential: 44

August 2, 1992 (1992-08-02)
Group A, Game 5
 Spain  Flag of Spain.svg81–122Flag of the United States.svg  United States Barcelona, Spain
22:30 (CEST)Scoring by half: 35–65, 46–57
Pts: Jiménez, 23
Rebs: Andreu, 7
Asts: Jiménez, 6		 Boxscore Pts: Barkley, 20
Rebs: Ewing, 10
Asts: Pippen, 9		Arena: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona

Note: Point differential: 41

August 4, 1992 (1992-08-04)
Quarterfinals
 United States  Flag of the United States.svg115–77Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico Barcelona, Spain
22:30 (CEST)Scoring by half: 67–40, 48–37
Pts: Mullin, 21
Rebs: Laettner, 8
Asts: Pippen, 8		 Boxscore Pts: Ortiz, 13
Rebs: Ortiz, 8
Asts: Carter, 4		Arena: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona

Note: Point differential: 38

August 6, 1992 (1992-08-06)
Semifinals
 Lithuania  Flag of Lithuania.svg76–127Flag of the United States.svg  United States Barcelona, Spain
22:30 (CEST)Scoring by half: 30–49, 46–78
Pts: Marčiulionis, 20
Rebs: Sabonis, 8
Asts: Marčiulionis, 8		 Boxscore Pts: Jordan, 21
Rebs: Robinson, 8
Asts: Johnson, 8		Arena: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona

Note: Point differential: 51

August 8, 1992 (1992-08-08)
Gold medal game
 Croatia  Flag of Croatia.svg85–117Flag of the United States.svg  United States Barcelona, Spain
22:00 (CEST)Scoring by half: 42–56, 43–61
Pts: Petrović, 24
Rebs: Rađa, 6
Asts: Kukoč, 9		 Boxscore Pts: Jordan, 22
Rebs: Ewing, 6
Asts: Johnson, 6		Arena: Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona

Note: Point differential: 32, tournament closest

Olympic statistics

Olympic player statistics
PlayerGPGSFGMFGAFG%3PM3PA3P%FTMFTAFT%PPGRPGAPG
Charles Barkley 845983.71178.8751926.73118.04.12.4
Larry Bird 832548.521927.333810.8008.43.81.8
Clyde Drexler 833764.578621.286410.40010.53.03.6
Patrick Ewing 843353.62300.0001016.6259.55.30.4
Magic Johnson 651730.567613.462810.8008.02.35.5
Michael Jordan 8851113.451419.2111319.68414.92.44.8
Christian Laettner 80920.45026.3331820.9004.82.50.4
Karl Malone 844062.64500.0002432.75013.05.31.1
Chris Mullin 823963.6191426.5381114.78612.91.63.6
Scottie Pippen 832847.596513.3851115.7339.02.15.9
David Robinson 842747.57400.0001826.6929.04.10.9
John Stockton 4048.50012.50023.6672.80.32.0

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ A 2012 NBA TV documentary covers this scrimmage, but the segment mixes video clips from other scrimmages as well. [35]

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Joseph William Kleine is an American former professional basketball player who played fifteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and for the US national team. He won a gold medal as a member of the United States men's basketball team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In 1998, he won the NBA championship as a member of the Chicago Bulls. Kleine is now a restaurant proprietor, owning a number of successful Corky's Ribs & BBQ restaurants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1993 NBA Finals</span> 1993 basketball championship series

The 1993 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1992–93 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. It featured the two-time defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, and the Western Conference playoff champion Phoenix Suns, winners of 62 games and led by regular season MVP Charles Barkley. The Bulls became the first team since the Boston Celtics of the 1960s to win three consecutive championship titles, clinching the "three-peat" with John Paxson's game-winning 3-pointer that gave them a 99–98 victory in Game 6.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia men's national basketball team</span> Mens national basketball team representing Australia

The Australia men's national basketball team, nicknamed the Boomers after the slang term for a male kangaroo, represents Australia in international basketball competition.

<i>Team USA Basketball</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Team USA Basketball is a 1992 video game that was available for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis game console. The game is a spinoff following the success of the Bulls vs Lakers video game as well as the popularity explosion of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team also known as the "Dream Team". It is the third game in the NBA Playoffs series of games.

The 1992–93 NBA season was the Bulls' 27th season in the National Basketball Association. The Bulls entered the season as the back-to-back defending NBA champions, having defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1992 NBA Finals in six games, winning their second NBA championship. In the off-season, the team acquired Rodney McCray from the Dallas Mavericks, and signed free agent Trent Tucker. At midseason, the team signed Darrell Walker, who was previously released by the Detroit Pistons. After two straight championships, the Bulls would make changes to their lineup, replacing John Paxson at point guard with B. J. Armstrong after Paxson went down with a knee injury, and only played 59 games. The team won nine of their first eleven games, and posted a 7-game winning streak between December and January, holding a 35–17 record at the All-Star break. The Bulls posted another 7-game winning streak between February and March, and would yet again have another successful season finishing in first place in the Central Division, and second overall in the Eastern Conference with a 57–25 record. They also advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth consecutive season, becoming the first team since the 1987–88 Boston Celtics to do so.

The 1993–94 NBA season was the Bulls' 28th season in the National Basketball Association. The Bulls entered the season as the three time defending NBA champions, having defeated the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals in six games, winning their third NBA championship, their first of two threepeats in the 1990s. This was the first season without All-Star guard Michael Jordan since the 1983–84 season, as he retired during the off-season to pursue a baseball career after the murder of his father. Instead, the Bulls were led by All-Star forward Scottie Pippen. In the off-season, the team signed free agents Steve Kerr, Bill Wennington, and Pete Myers, who was signed to fill in the void left by Jordan at shooting guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992–93 Phoenix Suns season</span> Professional basketball season

The 1992–93 NBA season was the 25th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association. This season is most memorable for the Suns acquiring controversial All-Star power forward Charles Barkley from the Philadelphia 76ers, and signing free agent Danny Ainge prior to the season. Under new head coach Paul Westphal, the Suns had a successful season posting a 14-game winning streak in December, which led them to a 21–4 start, held a 38–10 record at the All-Star break, then posted an 11-game winning streak between March and April to finish with an NBA-best 62–20 record. The team set the franchise record for most wins in a season. Barkley won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, and led the team to its second trip to the NBA Finals, where they lost to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the 2-time defending champion Chicago Bulls in six games.

The men's national basketball team of the United States won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Defending the gold medal won by the 2008 team in the previous Olympic Games, the Americans qualified for the 2012 Games after winning the 2010 FIBA World Championship. The Olympic team lost some players to injuries who might have made the team, and appeared to be short on big men. Their roster featured five players returning from the 2008 Olympic team and five others from the 2010 World Championship.

The 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, representing the United States. The USA's senior men's team was led by coach Bob Knight, who was also the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers at the time. The team won the tournament's gold medal. It was the last amateur-level U.S. team to win an Olympic gold medal in men's basketball. The team was considered to be one of the strongest in the U.S.A.'s history at that time, as it featured four of the five 1984 consensus first team All-Americans, in Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Wayman Tisdale, and Sam Perkins.

The men's national basketball team of the United States competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The team was led by future Basketball Hall of Fame head coach Larry Brown.

The men's national basketball team of the United States won the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Led by Basketball Hall of Fame head coach Lenny Wilkens, the team won gold for the second straight Olympics. Nicknamed Dream Team III, the team included five players who were Olympic teammates on the original "Dream Team", from the 1992 Olympic basketball tournament: Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, and David Robinson. Gary Payton was a late replacement for the injured Glenn Robinson.

References

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  2. ↑ McCallum, Jack (2013). Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever. Random House Publishing Group. p. 313. ISBN   9780345520494. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  3. ↑ "This Day in Sports: The Dream Team Takes Gold in Barcelona ". ESPN. August 8, 2010. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
  4. 1 2 Costas, Bob (host) (July 31, 2012). 30 Greatest NBC Olympic Moments. NBC.
  5. ↑ The Original Dream Team Archived May 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine . nba.com. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  6. 1 2 "Games of the XXVth Olympiad -- 1992". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on April 29, 2015.
  7. ↑ "1992 United States Olympic Team". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on August 18, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
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  9. ↑ "Soviets Roll Past Yugoslavs for the Gold". The New York Times . Associated Press. September 30, 1988. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Basketball federation will allow NBA players in Olympics", Washington Post News Service, via The Olympian , April 8, 1989, page 2C.
  11. ↑ Kalb, Elliott; Weinstein, Mark (2009). The 30 Greatest Sports Conspiracy Theories of All-Time. Skyhorse. p. 71. ISBN   9781602396784. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
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  20. ↑ "Drexler, Laettner join Olympic team Archived November 20, 2021, at the Wayback Machine ". Reading Eagle. May 13, 1992. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McCallum, Jack (July 2, 2012). "The Greatest Game Nobody Ever Saw". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015.
  22. ↑ Tim Povtak. "Robinson is riveted on gold Archived July 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine ". Orlando Sentinel. June 30, 1992. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  23. ↑ Olympic Support Overflows for Magic Johnson After Australian Complaints Archived January 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine apnews.com, Mike Harris, 24 January 1992
  24. ↑ McCallum, Jack (2012). Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever . Ballantine Books. p. 82. ISBN   9780345520487 . Retrieved May 13, 2020– via Internet Archive.
  25. 1 2 3 O'Shaughnessy, Haley (May 3, 2020). "'The Last Dance' Details the Grudges and Grievances of Michael Jordan". The Ringer. Archived from the original on May 10, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
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  31. ↑ "2000 USA Men's Olympic Games Roster Archived January 3, 2010, at the Wayback Machine ." usabasketball.com. Retrieved on April 23, 2014.
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  37. 1 2 Greenberg, Alan (July 26, 1992). "U.S. Team: All-Stars to All-World". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
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  42. 1 2 "Nightmare is over for U.S. Archived November 18, 2021, at the Wayback Machine " Reading Eagle. August 9, 1992. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
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